Teacher training to help pupils tackle conspiracies

Two national programmes have been launched which will provide teachers and school leaders across England with new training and resources to protect pupils and strengthen critical thinking in the digital age.

The programmes, each led by the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) and IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, will help teachers tackle online misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy belief in classrooms.

For the first time, they will have practical tools to help challenge harmful narratives and protect pupils.

At the heart of this work is the launch of a new Centre for Digital Information Literacy in Schools, a national initiative led by the National Institute of Teaching and funded by the Pears Foundation.

The Centre, led by NIoT, will embed critical thinking, psychological insight and media literacy across teacher development, from trainee teachers and classroom practitioners to school leaders and governors.

The Centre’s work will include national training for teachers, leadership qualifications and school governance, alongside new online learning modules, practical classroom resources and public engagement through podcasts and media campaigns.

The Pears Foundation is also funding a new programme at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society where experts Jeremy Hayward and Gemma Gronland will lead a new programme focused on providing teachers the skills and resources they need to tackle conspiracy theories and online misinformation.

The project will support both primary and secondary teachers through piloted CPD, a national training rollout and the creation of classroom materials designed to help pupils think critically and resist harmful narratives online.

Both programmes have been funded in direct response to the findings of the Commission into Countering Online Conspiracies in Schools – the largest study of its kind in England. The Commission found that teachers are increasingly encountering conspiracy theories and misinformation in classrooms but lack the confidence, training and resources to respond to this challenge.

Its recommendations called for urgent action to embed training into teacher education, develop regularly updated classroom resources, and adopt a whole-school and community approach. Funded by Pears Foundation and delivered by Public First, the Commission’s work has directly shaped the design and focus of the two new initiatives.

Sir Trevor Pears CMG, Executive Chair of Pears Foundation, said: “Schools are at the sharp end of this crisis. Teachers are telling us they urgently need support to help students navigate a world of disinformation, conspiracy theories and harmful online narratives. The Pears Foundation is proud to fund these major national initiatives – practical, research-led programmes that will give teachers the tools and confidence to respond. This work speaks directly to our mission: strengthening education, supporting young people and building a more resilient civil society.”

Melanie Renowden, Chief Executive of the National Institute of Teaching, said: “Teachers are on the front line of a new and urgent challenge – supporting young people to navigate a world increasingly shaped by misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy belief. Yet too often, they’re doing so without the tools, training or confidence they need. That’s why we’re proud to launch the Centre for Digital Information Literacy in Schools, generously supported by the Pears Foundation.

This initiative aims to deliver long-term, systemic change by embedding critical thinking, psychological insight and media literacy into teacher development at every level.

The Centre has been shaped by the work of the Commission into Countering Online Conspiracies in Schools, which heard clearly from teachers that they need urgent training and support to tackle this growing challenge. By working in deep partnership with schools, we hope to build a generation of educators equipped to lead with clarity and confidence in the misinformation age.”

Jeremy Hayward, project lead at UCL, said:“Every teacher recognises the impact that online misinformation and conspiracy thinking can have on young people. Whether it is misinformation about vaccines, misogynistic influencers like Andrew Tate, or more subtle harmful narratives, teachers are increasingly being asked to address these challenges – often without the training or resources they need.

"Thanks to support from the Pears Foundation, we’re building a practical programme that will give teachers the skills, knowledge and confidence to respond. Our work will focus on both primary and secondary schools, providing classroom resources and professional development rooted in real-world classroom experience."

Ultimately, this is about building resilience – giving teachers the tools to help their pupils think critically, challenge harmful content and navigate the online world safely.”